Diablo IV Lord of Hatred Announced at TGA 2025, Launches April 2026
Blizzard Entertainment delivered one of the standout moments at The Game Awards 2025 with the reveal of Diablo IV’s next major expansion, Lord of Hatred, scheduled to launch on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S on April 28, 2026. The announcement was accompanied by a cinematic showcase through the official reveal trailer highlighting the grim, escalating conflict awaiting players.
Serving as the direct successor to Vessel of Hatred, this expansion is positioned as “the climax of the Age of Hatred.” Blizzard’s press release confirms that Mephisto now exerts full influence across Sanctuary, and players will be forced into a reluctant alliance with an untrustworthy figure who possesses critical knowledge needed to confront the rising darkness.
Lord of Hatred introduces two new playable classes, including the long awaited Paladin alongside a second class yet to be revealed. The expansion further enhances core gameplay systems with a fully reworked skill tree, an updated loot filter, expanded crafting functionality, a powerful new talisman mechanic, and an innovative player driven War Plans system designed to deepen strategic progression.
Players will also explore the new region of Skovos, a location long referenced in Diablo lore. The expansion aligns with Blizzard’s previously outlined 2025 roadmap, which identified this 2026 release as one of the studio’s major planned milestones. Additional features such as a revamped ranking system and official leaderboards are also forthcoming, though Blizzard noted these updates were not ready for full reveal during the awards presentation.
Expect further details surrounding Lord of Hatred and Blizzard’s 2026 content vision in the months ahead as the developer prepares its next evolution of the Diablo IV endgame experience.
Are you excited for the Paladin’s return and the new storyline? Which unrevealed class do you think Blizzard will introduce next? Share your predictions with us.
